Electrical Safety

for Construction
Electrical regulations
Subpart K of 29 CFR 1926

1a
Electrical regulations
PartI - Safety requirements for
installing/using equipment
approval of electrical components
examination, installation, use of
electrical equipment
guarding of electrical equipment
overcurrent protection
grounding of equipment

1b
Electrical regulations
Part
II - Safety-related work
practices
protection of employees
passageways and open spaces
lockout/tagging of circuits

1c
Electrical regulations
Part
III - Safety-related
maintenance and environmental
considerations
protection of wiring components
environmental deterioration of
equipment

1d
Electrical regulations
Part
IV - Safety requirements for
special equipment
batteries and battery charging
PPE
emergency eyewash stations

1e
How electricity works
Currentflows from a generating
source through conductors, to a
load

Complete
circuits are
needed

2a
How electricity works
Normalroute is through
conductors
Shock occurs
when the body
becomes a
part of the
electrical
circuit
2b
Ohms Law

E
I R
I = Current (amperes)
E = Voltage (volts)
R = Resistance (ohms)
Human Resistance

Body Area OHMS

Dry Skin 600,000
Wet Skin 1,000
Internal Organs 400-600
Ear to Ear 100
Fatalities at 50 Volts

50 Volts
1,000 OHM = .05 amps (50 mA)

50 Volts
100 OHM = .5 amps (500 mA)
Electric shock
Occurs when current enters the
body at one point and exits at
another

Shock occurs when you touch:

both wires of an electric circuit;
one wire of an energized circuit
and ground; or
a metallic part that is hot
3a
Electric shock
Severity of shock depends on
the:
amount of current
path of the current
amount of time
exposed

3b
Electric shock
Effectsrange from a tingle, to
cardiac arrest, severe
burns, and probable
death

Typicalhousehold
current of 15 amps
can cause death
3c
Electricitys
Physiological Effect
00.001 amps Barely felt
00.015 amps let go threshold
Muscular paralysis
00.020 amps
Ventricular
00.100 fibrillation
01.200 100 Watt light bulb
15.000 Common household
fuse
 Effects of Current
1-8 mA = shock, not painful
8-15 mA = Pain
15-20 mA = Muscle contraction
20-100 mA = Severe pain & paralysis
of breathing muscles
100-1000 mA = Ventricular fibrillation
(Usually cause death)
> 1,000 mA = Heart stops
Grounding
Protects you from electrical
shock

Safeguards
against fire

Protects
electrical equipment
from damage

4a
Grounding
Two types of grounding include:
Service or system
ground
Equipment ground

4b
Circuit protective
devices
Atconstruction sites, the most
common electrical hazard is the
ground fault electrical shock

OSHA requires either:

Ground fault circuit interrupters
(GFCIs); or
Assured Grounding Conductor
Program
5a
Circuit protective
devices
Circuit
protective devices
include:
fuses and circuit breakers -
protect conductors and equipment
GFCIs - limit or shut off current
flow

5b
Ground fault circuit
interrupters
A fast-acting circuit breaker
that senses small imbalances in
the circuit caused by current
leakage to ground

6a
 1 AMP
COIL

1 AMP

PLUG
1 AMP
HOT NEUTRAL

LOAD

1000 mA
COIL

995 mA

PLUG
5 mA
HOT NEUTRAL
GROUND LOAD
 1000 mA
COIL

995 mA
1000 mA

PLUG
5 mA
HOT NEUTRAL 1 AMP

GROUND LOAD
Polarity
Assured Equipment
Grounding Conductor
program
IfGFCIs are not used,
employers must have a
scheduled and recorded
Assured Equipment Grounding
Conductor program

7a
Assured Equipment
Grounding Conductor
program
TheAEGC program is an
inspection program covering:
all cord sets
receptacles that are not part of a
permanent wiring structure
equipment connected by cord and
plug

7b
Assured Equipment
Grounding Conductor
program
Equipment must be visually
inspected for damage/defects
before each days use

7c
Assured Equipment
Grounding Conductor
program
Tests must be performed:
before the first use of new
equipment
after suspected damage to
equipment
at three month intervals
continuity test
grounding conductor test

7d
Lockout/Tagout
Electrical
equipment
deactivated for repair must be
locked out and tagged at the
point where it can be energized

Protects maintenance workers

Warnsothers that work is being

performed
8a
Lockout/Tagout
Onlythe person who
locked/tagged the equipment
can turn it back on

Before equipment is energized,

a qualified person must conduct
tests and visual inspections

8b
Lockout/Tagout
Eachlock/tag must be removed
by the person who applied it

8c
Lockout/Tagout
Ifthe employee is absent, the
lock/tag can be removed by a
qualified person if:
the employee who applied the lock
has left the premises
it is visually determined that all
employees are clear of the
circuits/equipment

8d
Guarding requirements
Anylive parts of electrical
equipment operating at 50 volts
or more must be guarded to
avoid accidental contact

9a
Guarding requirements
Entrances to areas with live
electrical parts must be marked
with warning signs

Signs should
forbid entrance
except by
qualified persons

9b
Insulation
Check equipment daily for
insulation breakdown

Check for:
exposed wires
broken wires
scuffed insulation on extension
cords
10a
Insulation
Usenon-conducting mats,
shields, or barriers when
necessary

Usenon-
conducting
coatings on
hand tools

10b
Personal protective
equipment
Employers must provide
electrical protective equipment
to employees
who work near
electrical
hazards

11a
Personal protective
equipment
Useappropriate equipment for
the hazards, including:
helmets
eye and face
protection
gloves and
sleeves
aprons
protective footwear
11b